Resumen

SILVA, Rita do Socorro Uchôa da et al. Malaria in the Municipality of Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre State, Brazil: epidemiological, clinical and laboratory aspects. Rev Pan-Amaz Saude [online]. 2012, vol.3, n.1, pp.45-54. ISSN 2176-6215.  http://dx.doi.org/10.5123/S2176-62232012000100007.

Malaria is a major public health problem in the Brazilian Amazon, where Acre State is located. The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiological, clinical and laboratory aspects of the malaria cases in the Municipality of Cruzeiro do Sul, Brazil. This descriptive, cross-sectional study used convenience sampling. The sample was composed of 136 malaria patients treated in three reporting stations located in Cruzeiro do Sul (15.7% of the overall malaria cases reported in Cruzeiro do Sul throughout the study period). Blood samples were collected by venipuncture and submitted to Nested-PCR for detection of Plasmodium malariae. The age of the patients ranged from 12 to 72 years (mean: 30.2 years), and 52.6% were male. They agreed to participate in the research, were physically examined and answered a questionnaire. Approximately 95% reported previous exposure to malaria. The most common symptoms were headache (90.4%), fever (85.2%) and back pain (81.5%). Upon physical examination, the main findings were: tachypnea (59.3%), abdominal pain on palpation (50.7%), mucocutaneous pallor (44.9%), tachycardia (40%), fever (39.3%) and jaundice (22.1%). Nested-PCR identified one (0.7%) case of malaria by P. malariae. Thick blood smear test on this sample detected Plasmodium vivax. It was concluded that P. vivax was the most common etiologic agent. It affected mainly male individuals in their productive age, and previous exposure to malaria was considered high. Headache and fever were the most common symptoms found in the sample.

Palabras clave : Plasmodium malariae; Malaria; Polymerase Chain Reaction.

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